Concern about poor academic performance at any of our public schools is understandable and appropriate, and there is great concern for our local Howard School of Academics and Technology. It is among a number of schools in Tennessee that have been labeled “persistently failing.” As a result, there are discussions on how the state might turn things around at Howard.
For instance, a new, state-run “Achievement School District” will include Howard and 12 other troubled schools from around the state in an effort to improve student performance.
Whatever merits that plan may have, it is very troubling in at least one respect: State Education Commissioner Tim Webb would be granted, among other powers, the authority to remove school board members if he deems it necessary.
With all due respect to Commissioner Webb, that is alarming. We certainly believe strong efforts ought to be made on Howard’s behalf. But many factors go into a school’s failure or success — student effort being the biggest one — and singling out a board member for responsibility for a particular school’s performance would be unjust.
What’s more, even if the state believes a certain board member is not doing a good job, that member and the others were elected by the voters of Hamilton County. Except in cases of illegal behavior or clearly spelled out, serious dereliction of duty, a duly elected member ought not to be removed from office unless voters remove him in an election.
Barring those rare circumstances, the right of the people to choose their elected officials should be upheld.